You want some cheese with that WHINE?

I need to give props to Laura, a coworker of mine. Yesterday she saved me from indulging in a bout of whiny, bring-everyone-else-down-with-ya, cloud of negativity. It happened in the women's bathroom at work. (Yes, guys, you'd be surprised at what all goes on in the women's bathroom!) After a meeting with our boss that went about a thirty minutes past the "Are-you-serious!-how-much-more-can-we-take!" point, a few of us needed a bathroom break. Well, that's definitely the recipe for turning into a flock of complaining hens, a bunch of women who were forced to sit through a 2 hour meeting where we were made aware that we were given even more paperwork to complete during our already very demanding jobs (demanding in terms of work-load and emotionally). One coworker threw something out, and I was ready to swing! I was frustrated and over-whelmed, and wondering when I would get the time to do what I needed to do. (I was also wishing I had completed the 5 cases I brought home with me over the Christmas break, knowing that I would never get the work out of my trunk!) I was patiently waiting for the coworker to take a breath so I could jump in with everything I had. It was then that Laura said, "Just be thankful we have jobs. In this economy, there are people that can't say that." WOW! Could God speak any louder!? I mean, WOW! Immediately, I looked at Laura and said, "Thank you! I REALLY needed that!" And I did! I don't consider myself a negative person, in fact, I consider myself an optimist. And I don't usually complain, especially about my job. After all, I do love me job. (I should after all the years I spent in school to get there! A Bachelor's in Psychology, a Master's in Educational Psychology, and an Educational Specialist in School Psychology.) I only work 200 days a year, I get a nice break over the holidays, and the best part, I get summers off. What better schedule could you ask for? Not to mention that I find my job very rewarding, personally. I am also a person that handles stress very well. I actually work better under pressure. I do well with timelines. In graduate school, I used to stay up all night writing papers and would have a much better product than if I had been working on the paper for two weeks. So, this was just one of those over-the-top moments and I was about to slip under the cloud of negativity that was forming in the women's bathroom. Philippians 4:8 tells us to dwell on those things that are praiseworthy. I am very thankful for the job I have, and all that God has provided me with: a loving husband, supportive family and friends, a home, my health...... I needed that reminder to be thankful for what He has given me and to give him praise for what I have and use it to His glory.
Thanks, Laura!